Santa and company arrive in Laconia

Friday

Nov 30, 2007 at 3:15 AMNov 30, 2007 at 5:40 AM

By JOHN KOZIOL

Saying he keeps coming back because the kids are great, and to a lesser extent because he's got a vacation home here, Santa Claus is in town yet again for his annual pre-Christmas stop in the Lakes Region.

Along with Mrs. Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, the Grinch and many others, Santa has encamped at the Laconia Community Center where for the 32nd consecutive year a large contingent of local elves has prepared Christmas Village for his visit.

Through Sunday, the Jolly Old Elf will be the featured attraction at Christmas Village, an all-volunteer effort transplanted here from Bristol by Dick Tapply, the one-time Laconia Parks and Recreation director, who borrowed it from his father "Wink."

Following tradition, visitors to Christmas Village on Thursday entered on the ground floor of the community center and were greeted by several activity stations where youngsters could win prizes, get their faces painted and have some fun before going up stairs where elves Tinstle and Twinkle lifted a red curtain and welcomed them into the village proper.

Tinstle, a.k.a. Ernie Bolduc, and his elf brother and Ward 6 city councilor Twinkle, a.k.a. Armand Bolduc, have been at Christmas Village since its beginning,

The Bolduc brothers, along with family friend Bob Hamel — who represents Ward 5 on the city council — keep coming back, just like Santa, because of the joy that Christmas Village gives to visitors, some 6,000 of whom pass through its doors annually.

Every visitor gets a gift, a snack and the opportunity to be a kid again, if only for an hour.

Christmas Village is a unique and wonderful holiday tradition, said Tinstle, adding that unfortunately, "for many people that'll be here, this'll be the only Christmas they have."

He said there have been lean years for Christmas Village, which takes a small army of elves about three weeks to erect, and in those years, the volunteers have just dipped into their own pockets to cover whatever expenses arose.

This year's effort cost $7,000, Tinstle continued, and anyone who wants to get onto Santa's "nice" list might want to consider making a donation to Christmas Village. Donations can be dropped off at the community center which is located at 306 Union Avenue, just down and across the street from Laconia High School.

Christmas Village Mayor Sheldon Morgan, who is Gilford's public works director and a long-time village volunteer, presented Laconia Mayor Matt Lahey with a ceremonial key to the tiny municipality, a place that still amazes Lahey.

He recalled the first time he brought his children — Elizabeth, John and Carolyn — and how there was "as much fun and mystery" now as then. Later in their lives, all the Lahey kids were also Christmas Village elves.

"I can't imagine that there's anything of this quality anywhere else," said Lahey. "They (all the Christmas Village volunteers), do a great job."

Incoming Ward 1 Councilor Greg Knytych agreed.

"The volunteer effort to make this happen and make this wonderful is a real tribute to this city."

Santa said he's only too happy to return to a place where he knows the all boys and girls are "extra special" and where the local elves work so hard and so well to make his stay at Christmas Village a great one.

"The only thing missing is snow," said Santa, "but that's coming."

Christmas Village is open tonight from 6 -8 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 2-5 p.m. Admission is free.

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